Submitted by Ken Watts
This article is a compilation of what Teri Ehresman, Jan Neisch, and I heard from ITD regarding the US Highway 20 project, Ashton to SH 87. We had difficulty hearing everything that was said because of the sound quality. Jan Neisch called ITD to get some clarification. The following is what I thought I heard from ITD: The December meeting is canceled. The next meeting will be a screening meeting in June 2024. Comments from the public were that IP would be destroyed. Will move forward with a phased approach – small segments, not the whole 30 miles. Complete all over time up to 2050. Will address problem areas first, Elk Creek, Mack’s Inn, IP Village areas. For Elk Creek, add two south bound lanes and keep north bound lanes. No discussion of stop lights. Will seek “local” (adjacent) input from the public on each phase. Not public meetings. Commissioner’s want public meetings but ITD seemed reluctant. Solutions in problem areas will be 4 lane solutions, not stop lights. Intermediate remedy (phased approach) is 5 years + out on NEPA. Re-planning entire project. Have designs ready when funding is available. Continue to engage more people/public. Discussion of interchange at Ashton Hills Estates area. 4 options. Construction 2024 likely. No public meeting, just locals. Avoiding public meetings. Court case on wetlands is delaying projects. Big issue with large number of wetlands in the Caldera. The following is from Teri Ehresman: What they told the commissioners was they cancelled the December public meeting. The next meeting will be in June. They have decided on a phased approach over time to meet the 2050 goal. They mentioned starting the NEPA process on some of the big issues like Elk Creek intersection, Mack’s Inn and Island Park Village. They mentioned Elk Creek intersection leaving the 2 lanes as is for the businesses and look at building two southbound lanes at that intersection. That was the example they used. They want to start NEPA and get the projects on the state schedule so when NEPA is complete they have $$ to start the projects. They said they have had lots of interest and feedback on the project. Seems to me they are trying to rush to NEPA. The following is a summary from Jan Neisch’s: ITD’s Drew Meppen and Greg Bowman came to coordinate with the commissioners on four of their projects. Specifically they wanted feedback on whether to make the stripping and lane changes on Ashton Hill this spring or wait until 2025. Instead, the commissioners asked that they reach out with information yet another time to the homeowners on the Hill and gather the Sheriff’s and his deputies’ input. ITD is now discussing how best to do so, perhaps via flyers and/or a zoom meeting. They might even first decide which of the four alternatives to pursue and present that for comments. These extra meetings, however, will not delay spring changes – just decide for sure which changes will be made. Concerning the Ashton to 87 corridor plan for 2050, they are extending their decision timeline until June in order to finish assessing all the public comments and give them time to plan how they can phase the project to lessen the impact of the changes that are coming. They want one plan to cover current safety issues and projected traffic growth expected by 2050, believing clarity in the beginning will save time later. Next step? After they finish their plans in June, the total project will start the NEPA (National Environment Policy Act) process that can take 5-7 years. This means that no changes will happen until at least 2029. But, what about immediate traffic safety issues? They have to wait. Meanwhile, ITD will be inserting the projects in their internal timelines so that as soon as NEPA is concluded the work can proceed. Until then be extra safe at Elk Creek, Mack’s Inn, and Island Park Village intersections. The three of us heard different things but this summary should be useful to you.
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Making Sense of It All
This blog will help you make sense out of all the information on the website, how it affects IP, our history, and how efforts continue to put IP into various forms of conservation status. Archives
May 2023
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